April 28 (Bloomberg) -- Hugo Chavez’s opponent in October’s
presidential election has called on the Venezuelan leader to be
more transparent about the state of his health and his battle
with cancer.

“I see lots of uncertainty on the side of the government’s
followers,” Miranda state Governor Henrique Capriles Radonski
said today in comments broadcast on television network
Globovision. “I think it’s time the head of state, instead of
sending messages by telephone, appears before television cameras
and speaks to Venezuelans frankly about his situation.”

Chavez, who has undergone three operations and several
rounds of chemotherapy and radiation treatment in Cuba since
June, has said he’ll be fit enough to run as his party’s
candidate for another six-year term as president. He has refused
to say what kind of cancer he has, where it’s located or give
his prognosis, fueling speculation that his illness is worse
than he’s letting on.

Chavez, 57, broke a 10-day absence from television screens
April 24 by appearing in a pre-recorded video that showed him
playing a local form of bowls with ministers in Cuba. Since
state television aired images of the self-declared socialist
arriving in Venezuela April 26, the former tank commander hasn’t
appeared in public, choosing instead to call into television
events or send messages on his Twitter account.

Bond Rally

In a telephone call broadcast earlier today, Chavez said
that he’s busy drafting a new labor law as he recuperates,
calling criticism by Capriles, 39, that he’s governing by
Twitter “absurd.” Chavez called the station to mark the second
anniversary of when he first started using Twitter.

The issue of Chavez’s health has fueled a rally in
Venezuelan bonds that have returned 22.4 percent this year, the
second most in emerging markets after the Ivory Coast, on
speculation there will be a change in government and economic
policies.

Chavez was supported by 46 percent of those surveyed in a
poll by Caracas-based Consultores 21 taken between March 3 and
March 13, while Capriles had 45 percent. The poll used a sample
of 2,000 people with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3
percentage points. Other polls give Chavez a bigger lead.

Chavez’s allies are preparing for a scenario in which his
cancer will prevent him from competing in the election, Tal Cual
reported on April 25, citing Wilmar Castro, head of planning for
Chavez’s re-election campaign.